Missing Link
by TheDerpGirlLives
Summary: Wuya and Jack have always had struggled to get along. The chain of their relationship is missing a link that keeps the entire chain in balance. But all that seems to change when Jack makes a new friend, a friend whom is actually a Shen Gong Wu herself. Can she fix their tattered bond? Can the leaders of the Heylin side keep their team together?
1. Chapter 1: Typical

**Chapter One: Typical**

"What do you mean you don't know what it is?" Jack boomed as he guided his ship through the sky. "That's your job, _isn't _it?"

"That's strange," Wuya said, "I can usually tell which Shen Gong Wu has been activated when I-"

"You're supposed to be my Shen Gong Wu GPS, you're supposed to direct me _and_ know what I'm looking for, why can't you-"

"Jack! Don't pester me with such questions! The Xiaolin warriors will have beaten us there if we don't get a move on!"

"Don't nag me over my mistakes, woman!"

"Then don't make them!"

_Uggh… _Jack thought, _I hope I don't end up marrying a girl like this._

_That idiot. _Wuya said to herself, _Can't he do anything right?_

A typical day at the Spicer household. Jack and Wuya argue pointlessly over things like Sheng Gong Wu, Jack's declining social life, and Wuya's unappreciative attitude. Jack and Wuya could have developed a close friendship, a partner with partner relationship, if they tried. But there was always something missing. The chain was incomplete, broken without the most important link. What, or who, could fix their tattered relationship?

"Hurry up!"

"I'm going as fast as my frickin' legs can carry me!"

The clouds were cold and wet, a hazard to Kimiko's fragile hairstyle. She attempted to protect the vulnerable curls, which she had carefully shaded a temporary, yet appealing, strawberry blonde. "Uh, Kimiko?" Clay said.

She turned around and responded, "Yeah, Clay?"

Her hair was blowing directly into his face, tickling his nose and cheeks. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't know-"

Dojo suddenly sneezed, rings of ash falling from his nostrils. "_Gesundheit_." Raimundo shouted from the back of the line of warriors.

"It should be right around h-h-h-here." The green dragon sniffled.

Exotic birds chirped and sang from the thick mass of fruit trees and vines. "Oh, this must be one of those sun forests I've read so much about!" Omi said as he marveled at a colorful toucan's beak.

"You mean rainforests?" Kimiko corrected.

"Those sound even more interesting!" Omi cheered.

Dojo landed and pointed in a southern direction. "Right over there."

A thick bush, shaded by a canopy, sat alone, untouched for years. Raimundo ran over. "I got this!" he assured.

He dug through the pile of leaves, vines and discarded fruit carcasses until his fingers hit something solid. At the same time, he met a black leather glove. Jack had also found the magical item's hiding place. "Jack Spicer," Raimundo began, "I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown, my Wings of Tenabi against your Tangleweb Comb!"

"You got it! Let's go, Xiaolin Showdown!"

The bush was raised into the air by a great tree. The challenge was tree climbing. "_Gong Yi Tempai_ !" the boys shouted.

Instantly, Raimundo used the Wings of Tenabi, making his way to the top. "See you later, Spicer!" he taunted.

"One step ahead of you, Jack murmured. Using the Tangleweb Comb, Jack pulled the top of the tree downward. The bush tumbled down, into his reach. "Now, fly south, little birdie!" Jack called out as he released the tree, smacking Raimundo in the face with it.

He clutched the bush and took the Wings of Tenabi. "See ya, Xiaolin losers!" he shouted, "Wings of Tenabi!" and with that said, he flew away.

"I reckon' we won't be seein' that mystery Shen Gong Wu." Clay said.


	2. Chapter 2: Amnesia

**Chapter 2: Amnesia**

"Don't just stand there," Wuya hissed, "scrape that scum off and see what it is!"

"Oh, don't get your panties in a wad." Jack remarked.

Eagerly, he began peeling away layer after layer of plant life, slowly uncovering a large, egg-shaped gem. It was about the size of two regular beanbags stacked on top of each other. "Jackbot, scan this." Jack ordered.

The machine scanned the egg with a red ray and printed an analysis. "It's 33.76% emerald and 67.24% an unknown substance." Jack read.

The jewel was covered in a layer of water vapor from the mist of the rainforest climate it had sat in for generations. Using his sleeve, Jack wiped the mist away, revealing a human kept inside. Jack leaped backwards in shock, knocking the egg off of the table with his left arm and hitting the light switch on the wall with his right.

"Turn the light back on, you fool!" Wuya growled in the darkness.

With his curiosity and fear of the dark energizing him, Jack frantically searched for the switch. Light filled the dim room once more, revealing pieces of the shattered emerald scattered around the body of a girl. Poking out of her long, black hair were two, cat-like ears. That was not nearly as strange as seeing, not one, but the _nine _tails she had. A shiver ran down Jack's back as her eyes fluttered open. She sat up and looked around the room.

Jack blushed when he realized that she was naked. He couldn't just leave, so he looked up at Wuya, hoping to hear her bark out an order. She was almost as shocked as Jack was. "What _is_ she?" he heard Wuya mumble.

The girl slowly crawled over on her knees and hands to Jack. He looked into her eyes, each one a deep, amber color. Her face was flawless. There were no blemishes or dark circles under her eyes. Her skin was not too pale nor too dark, it was a light, fair color. "Mew?" she lightly spoke, her voice as soft as a bell.

"M-Mew?" Jack repeated, trying to make sense of her ways.

A smile spread across her face. She rested her head on his chest and lightly purred. "Mew…" she said once again.

Wuya levitated down to the girl to take a closer look. "What _are_ you?" the witch asked.

Frightened by Wuya's ghostly appearance, the cat child jumped into Jack's lap and covered her face with his arm. Jack's face grew hot as she trembled in his arms. "Mew!" she cried.

"What is she?" he asked.

"What do you think I've been trying to figure out for the past ten minutes, genius?" Wuya answered.

Jack frowned at the remark and looked back down at the scared little girl he held. Unsure of what to do, he whispered, "Hey, there, it's alright."

She stopped shaking and looked up at him again. "Mew?" she said, almost pleadingly.

Her arms were covered in scratches and sores. Jack inspected the wounds. "Look at this," he said, "Look at the gash on her hip."

"Nice to know where your eyes are." Wuya commented.

Ignoring Wuya, Jack held out the girl's arm and looked the scrapes over. They were long running and deep, obviously from a blade of some sort. He didn't touch them, avoiding the risk of damaging them any further or causing her pain. How could it have happened? Did she fight something? Had she afflicted the wounds herself?

"Is she a Shen Gong Wu?" Jack asked.

Wuya pondered the question. There was never a Shen Gong Wu that was a person itself… was there? Was she a special Shen Gong Wu with a mind of her own? Was she a Xiaolin warrior trapped by a Shen Gong Wu? The possibilities were endless.

Jack followed up with another question. "What do we do with her?" he asked.

"Keep her, of course!" Wuya answered. "Who knows what she is capable of doing? She could be the root of the Heylin side's power!"

Suddenly, she stood straight up. Her eyes grew wide. "W-What's wrong?" Jack asked her.

She sat on the floor with her knees locked together and her face buried in her hands. "Meeeew!" she wailed.

"What's going on?" Jack panicked, looking to Wuya for any possible explanation.

The cat girl cried out as if she were in pain, mewing like a helpless kitten with a thorn in its paw. Her nine tails stood out on end, bristling with fear. But then, she stopped. A relieved sigh escaped her mouth. "Nyaaa…"

"Is that it?" Wuya said, confused.

"I guess so. Maybe it was just-" but Jack was cut short.

Something warm and wet hit his foot. He looked down hoping that it wasn't what he thought it was. Wuya's face twisted into a disgusted expression. "D-Did she…"

"Nope." Jack said with an annoyed fake smile.

"Uggh…" Wuya sighed, "I don't see this going very well…"

"What troubles you, my students?" Master Fung inquired.

"Oh, Master Fung, our hearts are heavy with the color blue." muttered Omi.

"I thought that thing was going to give me a heart attack," Dojo complained, "I've never seen a Shen Gong Wu raise my blood pressure through the roof like that!"

"Cheer up, everyone makes a mistake every now and then," Master Fung encouraged, "perk up and do better next time."

"But, Master Fung," said Kimiko, "we don't even know what Shen Gong Wu we lost!"

"Oh?" he was slightly surprised. "What do you mean?"

"It was stuck in a bush," Raimundo answered, "Spicer struck me out with the Tangleweb Comb and made off with it. No one had a chance to see what it looked like."

"Must've been mighty big," Clay added, "I saw a tad bit o' green on it 'fore Spicer took it away."

Master Fung's eyes widened. "An emerald green?" he asked.

"Sorta." Clay answered.

"You don't think it was-" but Dojo was interrupted.

"I should hope not." Master Fung cut in. "Young Jack Spicer is not ready for something like her."

"Who said _I _was gonna bath her?" Jack argued.

"Who else is there that can?" Wuya asked. "You're parents would call the police if they found a naked cat girl in their bathroom, and in case you've failed to notice, I am a ghost, I can barely touch the air itself. Face it, Jack, you're the only one left."

Angry to face the truth, Jack pouted and shrugged his shoulders. "Okay…" he reluctantly agreed.

He held her hand and took her to the bathroom in the basement, where his parents wouldn't be around. She marveled at everything they passed, her eyes glittering in amazement. When he stopped at the bathroom door, she observed the doorknob carefully. A surprised look spread across her face. The white tile and porcelain tub was a beauty for her to behold. "Sit there until the bath water is ready." Jack instructed.

"Mew." she said to herself.

Jack adjusted the water temperature and added some bubble bath. The girl ran her finger through the gaps between the tiles, keeping herself entertained. After the water and suds were perfect for bathing, Jack called her over.

She didn't understand the meaning of "come here", leading Jack to pull her over. The water and white, fluffy bubbles frightened her, leaving her to mew piteously in Jack's lap and forcing him to lift her into the tub. The warm water comforted her, she allowed herself to sink into the bubbly waters.

"Well," Jack pulled out a bottle of liquid soap, "let's get this over with."

He poured a generous amount of the watermelon scented soap onto a sponge and began to lightly and carefully scrub her face. She purred in delight as the sponge caressed her skin, especially on her neck. Her ears twitched upon contact, causing her tails to flinch. Jack found this amusing.

She was having so much fun in the water, splashing Jack in the face and blowing a handful of bubbles into his hair. Jack hadn't had anyone around that wanted to have fun for a while. Happiness was a little bit strange to him. This girl could do something no one else was able to do, bring out the good in Jack. No, not the "sunshine, rainbows, and hugs" good Jack, but the Jack that had more of a brighter personality, the fun-loving Jack.

Jack laughed as she tried to wash his face with the sponge. Maybe this girl could be a real friend, not a lousy mentor like Wuya. Maybe this girl could make Jack more than just a weak, scrawny tech nerd rooting for a powerless ghost witch. Maybe she could bring out the best in him, the real Jack Spicer, bottled up in years of loneliness and regret.


	3. Chapter 3: First Step

**Chapter 3: First Step**

"I wonder if there is a Sheng Gong Wu out there that can turn you into a baby." Raimundo casually said.

"That'd be mighty dandy in stopping Spicer from stealin' all the good Wu." Clay casually responded.

"Speaking of infants, where do babies come from?" Omi not-so-casually asked.

Clay and Raimundo exchanged a glance that said, 'You wanna take that one?'. "That's a Master Fung question, Omi." Raimundo responded, followed up by an agreement from Clay.

"I see." Omi said. "Naturally, Master Fung would know more on the topic, as he is older and wiser."

"Actually, I'd say Raimundo knows more about that than every Xiaolin Dragon combined." Clay said, looking over at Rai.

Omi looked confused when a smirk and a blush fell over his fellow dragon. "Anyways," Clay began again, "Master Fung would be able to explain the... uh... process... much better than either one of us could."

"Indeed!" Omi agreed, cheerfully.

As soon as the Dragon of Water disappeared inside the temple, Raimundo nudged Clay. "I would've told him to go ask Kimiko but she'd just slap me in the face and ask what I've been teaching him. Weird huh?" he asked.

"Yup." Clay sarcastically agreed. "Such a crazy assumption."

Jack raked the remaining bits of fabric into the garbage can. Using a spare outfit of his, he had fashioned out a short top and a matching skirt for his little cat-friend. "It doesn't look half-bad." Wuya remarked, slightly impressed by Jack's handiwork.

The girl looked at down at the floor and noticed an air vent. She squatted down and poked the screws bolting it to the floor. "Luckily, I had an extra jacket and an old red T-shirt in my closet. Using my genius skills in both technology _and_ designing, I created her _this_." he turned, gesturing to her outfit.

She stood over the vent. As soon as Jack pointed his arm to her, the air kicked on. Her homemade skirt flew up, causing Jack to turn his head. "You made her a skirt, but you didn't make any underwear to go with it? You idiot!" Wuya growled in her raspy voice.

Jack was annoyed at this comment. He had spent a good three hours putting that outfit together, only to have Wuya push him down for not making underwear to go with it. "I didn't think there'd be any situations like this!" he said.

"So, once again, you didn't think a plan through?"

"Why are you yelling at me? If you want it perfect, then do it yourself!"

"I can't! That's why I'm living in your basement, you-"

Their argument ceased. Both of them, even Wuya, felt something grab them and slowly pull them down. Her tails were able to touch even the ghostly witch Wuya. Using this ability, she pulled the arguing couple down into her arms, hugging them tightly. She softly purred, sending a warm, fuzzy feeling down into their hearts. "Mew..." she whispered to them, the softness of her voice erasing the bitterness left in their souls from their feuding.

Jack felt his eyes growing heavy as her warmth engulfed him. Wuya, being unble to sleep was simply calmed. _"Maybe I was a little bit hard on him..." _she thought, _"He did his best, after all."_

She looked down on him as the girl cradled him with her many tails. _"Am _I_ the reason we don't get along?" _Wuya thought.

As she began to hover away to ponder her question, she looked back. She would have never accepted that fact without this girl here. Master Fung of the Xiaolin Temple had once said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Perhaps this girl was that first step. That first step into the journey of a healthy friendship between her and her... friend, Jack Spicer. That word and his name went together harmonically in her mind for the very first time.


	4. Chapter 4: Healing Scars

**Chapter 4: Healing Scars**

"I'm telling you, you have more than me!" the angry Brazilian boy shouted.

"It doesn't matter, Rai!" Clay tried to dismiss the argument.

"It doesn't? Then I suppose you won't mind us switching bowls then!"

"If it'll shut you up, I'm all for it!"

With that said, the two swapped their meals. Omi watched observantly while Kimiko muttered, "Boys…" to herself.

The four of them turned their heads when they heard Dojo walk- er… slither in. They began to rise, ready for the news of a new Sheng Gong Wu out there. Dojo sensed their eagerness. "Relax," he said and pulled out a scroll, "This is about the last Sheng Gong Wu that Spicer made off with."

He unfolded the scroll, revealing a picture of a girl with long hair holding a glass heart and swiping her claws. The others looked at the picture, confused. "Who _is_ that, Dojo?" Kimiko asked.

"Is she an ancient Xiaolin Warrior?" Omi asked with excitement.

"No, but close." Dojo remarked. "This is the Cat of Nine Tails, an extremely powerful and complicated Sheng Gong Wu."

"A living Sheng Gong Wu?" Kimiko said in amazement.

"What does it do?" Raimundo asked.

"Correction, _it_ is a _she_." Dojo pointed out.

"He, she , it, whatever. I just wanna know what she does!"

"Alright, alright, keep your shirt on, I'll tell you." Dojo began again. "Once she is awoken, she has no memory of… well… anything. It's like she has the mind of a newborn baby. It's up to the one who found her to take care of her and teach her right from wrong."

"What if the one who finds her just leaves her for dead?" Clay asked.

"If she's abandoned, she simply forms a new shell of emerald and hibernates until someone else finds her." Dojo explained.

"You still haven't told me what she's supposed to do." Raimundo complained.

"I was getting to that." Dojo said, annoyed. "Anyways, the heart she holds represents love and trust. If she develops this for the one who finds her, she will devote her life to their protection, as shown by the claws. But that's not the main thing. She has nine tails, each one like a whip."

This caught their attention. "Can she kill someone with those things?" Clay was wide-eyed with amazement.

"That depends." Dojo casually responded.

"What do you mean, 'That depends'? Is she lethal or not?" Raimundo shouted.

"She can adjust them. They can be as thick and fluffy as fat puppies or as razor sharp as knives."

"So, basically," Clay began, "She'll be either a loving little kitten or a bloodthirsty polecat."

"Yup."

"But it depends on who takes care of her, right?" Kimiko asked.

"Yup."

"I can't wait for _that_ Sheng Gong Wu to reveal itself!" Raimundo stated and shoved a bite of noodles in his mouth.

"It already has." Dojo said.

"But, why haven't we-" Kimiko stopped herself. "Don't tell me…"

"Yup." Dojo repeated again.

"We lost something like _that_ to _Spicer?!_" Raimundo was outraged.

Again, as annoying as it was becoming, Dojo said, "Yup."

"Turn that back on, I was watching that!" Wuya shouted at Jack.

"Wuya, why are you watching 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'?" Jack asked her, not really caring enough to hear the answer.

"I'd just like to see what modern witches are like." Wuya remarked.

"You know this is fake, right?" Jack asked. "She's a paid actress who's real name isn't even Sabrina."

Wuya had an unfathomable look on her face. "I knew that much! This picture box is my only window to today's world other than our many successful Sheng Gong Wu trips!"

"Maybe if you'd help, we would be winning a showdown or two!"

"I'm a _ghost_, what can I do?"

"You could at least try to encourage me instead of shouting, 'you idiot, do it right' or any other crap like that!"

"You sorry, scrawny, weakling!"

"Says the lady that got stuck in a puzzle box!"

In the midst of their arguing, they failed to notice their little cat-friend crawling between them. She plopped down and looked up at Wuya with a dark, merciless stare. She sensed she was being watched and looked down, instantly freezing when she saw the murderous look in her glinted cat eyes. The sudden pause made her think. If she hadn't mentioned their success rate in nabbing Sheng Gong Wu, this entire argument wouldn't have started. While Wuya sat silent, Jack stormed off, full of anger. He plopped down in a chair and slammed a couple of parts down on the table.

Wuya watched as he stomped away, then looked back at the girl. The deadly glare was gone, replaced by a look of expectancy. "Mew." she quietly squeaked and gestured to Jack.

Wuya knew what she was waiting for, but she didn't want to. She admitted it to herself, she _could_ be a better mentor to Jack. Despite the fact that she was over ten thousand years old, she was still as stubborn as a child. Her pride was pulling her back, but she shouldn't let herself become this. She then felt something push her ghostly form forward. One of those nine fluffy tails lightly shoved her towards Jack, urging her on. "Mew!" the girl said, cheerfully.

Wuya sighed and hovered over to Jack. "S-Sorry." She barely muttered.

Jack turned around in disbelief. "Huh?" he asked.

"I apologized and I know you heard me." Wuya grumbled.

Jack seemed a bit confused. Wuya had never considered apologizing after chewing him out before. What made this different? They were still arguing over something pointless and unnecessary. Then, it hit him. That girl was never here during those times. Her presence was missing during the times that their conversations ended so bitterly, leaving them off on a bad note the next day. But, now, _she _was here. If she could get Wuya to apologize, what else could she do? Speaking of which, what else _could_ she do? Did she have any special abilities that could make their dreams of world domination a reality? There was only one way to find out. A test.


	5. Chapter 5: Tested

**Chapter 5: A Test**

"The Heart of Ài sounds most exciting!" Omi exclaimed as he held tightly to Dojo's scales.  
"All it does is let you know who a person cares the most about, "Raimundo grumbled, "Other than that, it's not worth anything in battle."  
"I dunno, Rai," Clay looked over to him, "knowing what the most important thing in their life is could play a big part in finding their weakness."  
"Clay's right," Kimiko agreed, "You never know when something could come in handy one day!"

"Jack! Jack! Get up!" an all too familiar voice called out from the other room.  
The red-haired boy was awake, but he didn't want to open his eyes. He stretched his arms and legs out, lightly groaning as the tension released. He attempted to pull the sheets back over himself, but they caught something and dragged it into his arms. He opened his eyes now, expecting to see a pillow or a cushion of some sort, but it was far from it. The cat-girl was curled up in his embrace. She naturally looked cute, but while sleeping she was absolutely adorable. Alert by Jack's sudden movement, she softly sighed. "Mew…"  
He reached over her to get to the other side of the bed. As he attempted to crawl over her and avoid waking her, he felt something grab his leg. One of her tails was suspending his limb to the spot. He tried to pry it loose as quietly as he could, but he was a weak little kid going up against a strong, bone-supported tail. He tried to pull the tail away, but out of nowhere, she sneezed. It sounded more like a short scream than a sneeze. Shocked, Jack fell forward with a yelp. The girl awoke and the two lay face to face.  
"Jack, what in the name of Dashi was that?" Wuya shouted as she entered the room. "Who just screa-"  
Jack looked up, wondering why Wuya had stopped so suddenly. When he looked down, he knew. "There's a new Sheng Gong Wu that has revealed itself. I'm just gonna wait on the ship." She said and hovered away.  
"W-Wait! Wuya, you've got it all wrong!" Jack shouted, trying to convince the witch that this was not what she thought it was.  
"Mew?" the girl said, innocently.  
"A great big load of 'mew'…" Jack sighed and sat up.  
Sensing his grief, the girl reached up and lightly stroked the side of his face. "Mew…" she purred as he watched her.  
What Wuya said played back in his mind. A new Sheng Gong Wu… That's it! he thought. He knew what subject her test would be over, nabbing Sheng Gong Wu.  
She followed him up into the ship and watched out the windshield as he started it up and left. "Where's it at, Wuya?" he asked.  
"The Eiffel Tower…" she said, slowly, "Say, Jack?"  
"Yeah?"  
"…Jack, are you aware that… well… Most boys, at your age, have certain instincts that kick in…" Wuya attempted to explain, thankful that a blush wouldn't show on her mask face.  
Jack sighed. "What happened back there was by chance. It was an accident and that was not the case, alright?" he blushed when he tried to explain his side as well.  
"If you say so, Jack." Wuya sighed.  
"Jack?" a small voice squeaked.  
The two of them turned around in disbelief. "Jack?" the girl said and pointed a finger at the boy. "Jack?"  
"Y-Yes," Jack said and pointed to himself, "Jack."  
The girl smiled, proud of her new word. Jack pointed at Wuya. "Wuya." he said, slowly.  
"Wuuuuuuya?" she struggled with the word. "Wuuuuuuya…"  
"Good job!" he said and rubbed her head.  
She watched as he carefully petted the top of her head between her ears. Wuya caught a glimpse of red spreading on the girl's face. Her eyes sparkled as she looked into Jack's, their amber color shining like gold. It was a cute sight, softening the old hag's heart a tad.  
Jack resumed piloting the ship, leaving the girl under Wuya's watch. She toyed with a button that had fallen off of one of Jack's jackets, studying every detail of the round object. With such an unfathomable expression, it was hard to tell what she was thinking. Wuya looked over. Jack wasn't looking, maybe she could do some… exploring. Carefully, as not to alert the girl, she crept into the cat-child's mind.


	6. Chapter 6: The Depths of Darkness

**Chapter 6: The Depths of Darkness**

The girl, unaware of what was going on, merely shook off the strange sensation in her head and continued to study the lost coat button. Wuya saw the newer memories first, one of which was Jack stroking her ears. A wave of the emotions felt then flooded Wuya over. This girl was quite fond of Jack. She also saw the memory of waking up to a sudden thump against her and opening her eyes to find Jack lying on top of her. "So it was an accident…" Wuya laughed to herself.

Then a thought came. This girl supposedly has no memory. But, is that really true? Perhaps she has some shards of her past lying around in the back of her mind. Wuya floated deeper into the girl's thoughts, trying to find something. When she left the memory of the girl first waking up, she searched quickly. In the deepest, darkest corner of her mind, Wuya found tidbits of memories. The first one was shocking. There were several people around with guns and knives. Wuya had the sensation of being tied up by something familiar. The Tangleweb Comb? A Sheng Gong Wu? She also felt enormous fear fill her head. There was another memory as well. She watched in horror as a young boy was stabbed in the neck with a bronze sword. A great panic of anger and sadness swept in, telling Wuya that this boy meant a lot to the girl. A man then grabbed her and forced her down. A cold, suspending substance began crawling up her legs in waves. It was emerald! This was the memory of being sealed away in the gemstone. After the hole for her face closed up, the memory shard ended. Full of fear of what she just witnessed, Wuya exited quickly.

She pulled herself out of the girl's mind and backed off a bit. Was she wagered in an ancient war? "…it just doesn't make sense to me,"

Jack had been talking to either himself or Wuya all this time. Wuya mumbled a bit, trying to make it seem as though nothing had happened. "You know, Wuya," Jack said, "we should really give her a name."

"A name?" Wuya repeated.

"Yeah. Just something to call her while we take care of her." He suggested.

It would be useful to give her a label of some sort. But, what would suit her? "What do you think?" Jack asked the girl.

"Mew! Mew mew mew!" she cheered out.

"Mew-Mew?" Jack looked puzzled.

"Mew-Mew?" she repeated back to him.

"Mew-Mew?" Wuya repeated to them both.

"Sounds like a kitten's name." Jack said and looked at Wuya for consent.

"I don't care what you name her." the witch said.

"Mew-Mew it is!" Jack said to the girl.

"Mew-Mew, Mew-Mew, Mew-Mew!" she happily repeated her name.

Jack laughed to himself and continued to steer the ship. The girl crawled over to him and purred as she wrapped herself around his legs. Wuya saw him try to hide a blushing smile. It was like watching a loving kitten indulge her master. Wuya herself had to hide a smile.

"Now," he said rather seriously, "if you're going to be on the Heylin side, you'll have to take a test."

Wuya perked up. A test? When did this idea happen? How long had Jack been planning this? She listened intently, trying to hear for more. "I need to know the extent of your abilities. If you'll show me your skills when we nab this Sheng Gong Wu, I'll know just how valuable you are."

Discovering her abilities by using her to steal the Sheng Gong Wu was a brilliant plan… for Jack. "Excellent." she hissed a praise, "We'll know just how powerful she really is."

Mew-Mew blinked, unaware of anything they were saying about her. Despite it all, she smiled and uttered a cheerful "Mew!"


	7. Chapter 7: Flashback

**Chapter 7: Flashback**

"Well, there it is!" Clay said.

"Paris," Kimiko whispered dreamily, "the city of love."

Raimundo rolled his eyes, but Omi took a moment to process the thought. "Is this particular city where the 'marriage' ceremony must take place?" he said, confused, "must _all_ marriages take place here?"

Kimiko laughed. "No, Omi, marriages can take place pretty much anywhere."

"Then why is this city the only city of love?"

"That's just a saying. This is a popular spot for romantic things like honeymoons, dates... _proposals_..." the dreamy look returned in her eyes as she pictured her proposal and sighed.

"And a lot of other 'romantic' things, too..." Raimundo sneered, only to feel the back of Kimiko's hand against his face.

"WHAT'D I DO?!"

Jack parked the ship in a safe place hidden from view. It was one of his best inventions that had taken his own sweat and blood to make literally. The very day he chose to spend working on it, the air conditioning goes out in his home. His palms, wet with sweat, made him drop nearly every sharp tipped object in his hands (Yeah, yeah, that's what she said, we know) and send it crashing to the floor. He had managed to catch a few pieces, but the sharp end cut deeply into his flesh, leaving scars under his gloves.

It's not that he was afraid of people hacking his creation, never. It'd take a crossbreed of Albert Einstein and Bill Gates just to be able to unlock the doors, much less hack the entire system itself. His only concern was vandalism. He didn't want to see anymore graffiti drawings on his ship. Especially not after what those college students drew on the side last year. Jack shivered at the memory. That wasn't the worst part. After hours of trying to awkwardly scrub the horrendous spray-paint "art" off the side, he gave up. He had to replace that section of the ship completely.

Mew-Mew was afraid to leave the ship. All of the people and tall buildings scared her. Jack began to leave, but she didn't know if she should go with him or stay aboard safety. In one quick action, she bolted forward and clung to his right leg. He grabbed a streetlight to avoid falling forward. _Uh oh, _Wuya thought, _He's gonna scare her to death when he tells her off for nearly tripping him._

When he turned around, Wuya waited for his face to turn as red as his hair in anger. She felt her "mouth" drop down when he affectionately patted her head. Fear shone in her eyes and trembled along with her. Wuya watched, clearly surprised, when Jack lifted her up and carried her like a small child. The girl froze. Her pulse raced and her vision grew foggy. She felt something stab her memory, the image of a young boy. Next to that boy's image was Jack's. She was in a daydream. She reached out and pushed the other boy's image away, pulling Jack's closer. She mouthed a word to herself during her trance, but Wuya could've sworn she heard the girl chanting, "You won't take him... I won't let you..." when she hovered beside of her.

"Mew-Mew?"

The boy's voice made her blink the strange dream away. "Mew?"

"Just making sure you didn't fall asleep." he said. "We're almost there."

Wuya abandoned her thoughts about what the girl said and had a new idea. Jack had never used that tone of voice before. You would've thought that the girl was his younger sister, had you not been Wuya. She'd seen many types of bonds formed between two people before. This one seemed to be a brother-sister bond. Jack was the one that looked out for Mew-Mew, while Mew-Mew looked up to him for that. But, what if it grew into something else? What if they're bond strengthened? What if it became... love?

The tall, dark structure came into view. At the top, something glittered and sparkled. A pink, heart-shaped jewel was carefully balanced at the top. "Full speed ahead, Dojo!" Raimundo shouted to the dragon.

"You got it!" he answered.

Jack activated his helipack and changed the girl's position. Instead of resting her head on his shoulder, he decided to carry her bridal style. It would be much easier to hold her that way. Carefully and slowly, trying to keep from scaring Mew-Mew, he hovered to the top of the tower. Wuya followed behind. As they reached the top, they failed to notice the large, green dragon about to ram into them. They had only seconds before they collided, both sides bracing for impact. Dojo waited to crash into the boy and feel the blades dig into his scales, but it never came. Instead, his face was buried in something with thick, fluffy fur.

Jack opened his eyes. He was greeted by a wall of fur, created by Mew-Mew's tails joining together. His heart was still beating fast, as if it were pulsing fear through his veins. He would do anything to repay Mew-Mew for this, for saving his life. Thank whatever makes the magic in Sheng Gong Wu for cat-like reflexes.

The shock of a sudden stop rippled through the dragon's long body, causing those riding to feel a jolt. Everyone looked ahead, the sudden wall of fur confusing them. "What in tarnation is _that_?" Clay asked.

"Wish I knew." said an equally baffled wind dragon.

"Is that-" Kimiko stopped.

"-Jack Spicer's new Sheng Gong Wu?" Omi finished.

Mew-Mew cleared her wall of tails. Both parties were still a bit pale from the collision the little cat-girl had just prevented. Jack's heavy breathing alarmed her. "Mew?" she mewled with concern.

"I'm fine..." he assured his companion.

The awkward silence was nerve racking. "Hey, Spicer," Raimundo shouted, "who's your girlfriend?"

Jack looked up at him with a threatening face. He was about to respond, but Rai beat him to it. "No, not Wuya, the other one!" he shouted again.

Wuya, hearing the remark about herself and the young boy, peeped out from behind the helipack, where she had to stay to catch her breath. "I'll have you know that his 'girlfriend' is the Sheng Gong Wu _you_ lost to him yesterday!" she growled.

"Shoulda thought that through." Clay whispered in Rai's ear.

As soon as Raimundo turned around to shoot Clay a look that said, "shut up", a pigeon plopped down next to their prized Wu. With a single peck, the precious pink gem went tumbling down. Rai lunged for it, meeting Spicer as he dived down with it. The two continued falling as they spoke. "Jack Spicer, I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown," Raimundo began, "my Sword of the Storm against your Cat of Nine Tails."

"Bring it- wait, what?" Jack was lost, what Sheng Gong Wu was he using?

The Eiffel Tower leaned forward, a rope hanging from it's end with the Heart of Ài dangling above the ground. Water flooded all around, with only a few pieces of debris arranged in the formation of a walkway stretching for seemingly eternity. Mew-Mew was still in his arms. He had figured out that Mew-Mew was a Sheng Gong Wu, but he didn't know the name of that particular one. The Cat of Nine Tales, Raimundo had said. How could she help him in a showdown?

"_Gong Yi Tempai!_" Raimundo shouted, then quickly used the Sword of the Storm to whip up a wave, pushing him towards the prize. Quickly, Jack hopped from debris to debris, hoping to catch up. He had to stop on one floating piece. As he panted, he suddenly felt himself moving. Mew-Mew was using her tails to paddle them forward. All nine tails harmoniously pushing along set for great speed. "Aw, yeah!" he shouted.

They were catching up to Rai's surfing technique. Now, Jack was close enough to jump for the gem, but Raimundo had the same idea. They both caught the jewel, leaving them to wrestle for it. Mew-Mew, seeing the fight, felt a jerk in her memory. The boy that she had once loved was stabbed I with a sword. Raimundo had the Sword of the Storm in his hand and was holding Jack by the shirt collar. He was about to grab the Wu when something pushed him against the tower wall. Mew-Mew was holding him with one tail, leaving the other eight to dangle above him. But they were no longer fluffy and soft, now they could split a hair down the middle. She had a murderous look in her eyes as she hurled her weapons towards his neck.


	8. Chapter 8: Connection

**Chapter 8: Connection**

The Brazilian boy's eyes grew wide with fear as one of the razor sharp tails wrapped around his neck, pinning him to the spot. The other eight followed after, sharp end first, to tear out his throat. He shut his eyes, trying to remember his best moments when he and his fellow dragons hunted for Sheng Gong Wu as his death came to greet him.

"MEW-MEW, NO!"

The girl froze. Her tails released Raimundo, allowing him to quickly crawl away. She trembled, short, shaky gasps of air escaping her throat. Wuya was horrified. This girl was ready to kill! Somehow, Raimundo had awoken a hunger for bloodshed, a need to destroy, hidden deep inside her. Wuya remembered zooming through Mew-Mew's mind and witnessing the death of a well-loved friend. Raimundo had brought back that terrible memory to her, restoring her feelings of vengeance. "If you want the freakin' thing, here!" Rai shouted and kicked the Sheng Gong Wu to Jack's feet.

The showdown ended. Kimiko, Clay, and Omi gathered around Rai, trying desperately to help him in his state of shock. Jack grabbed Mew-Mew, who was still trembling as if she was stricken with fear. Jack set the ship to autopilot on a course for home. He laid the Heart of Ài next to the steering wheel, which guided itself back to the Spicer estate. Jack held a now crying Mew-Mew, who sobbed continuously. "It's ok," Jack soothed, "Everything's gonna be alright..."

Wuya watched with concern. Those memories, those horrid memories that lie locked away in her mind, were torturing her. Her past was trying to live again, to take her over. Jack was just like that boy that was killed in her past. It was clear that she wouldn't let anything happen to her new companion. She was traumatized by the cruel way the boy passed, bringing out the murderous nature sealed within her. Thank goodness Jack had been able to stop her, otherwise she would've killed Raimundo and probably the others as well. Wuya shivered as she remembered how the innocent, scared look in Mew-Mew's eyes became a dark, cold, bloodthirsty stare that would have made the devil himself jump.

It was quiet now. Wuya turned around and felt a pang of sympathy when she saw Mew-Mew curled up in Jack's lap, tears still streaking down her face. Jack's head had tilted to the side, his chest heaving as he steadily breathed. The two were asleep. It was an adorable sight that would melt the coldest of hearts. She couldn't help but smile, trying her best to hide it. Some things, though, were just too heartwarming to frown at.

* * *

"Oh, my!" Master Fung exclaimed. "My suspicions were correct! She's back!"

"And as deadly as ever!" Dojo added.

"But you say that young Jack was able to stop her from taking Raimundo's life?"

"Yeah." Rai answered, "He just said 'no' and she stopped, just like that!"

Master Fung and Dojo exchanged a thinking glance. "Perhaps I've underestimated the boy." the Xiaolin monk said.

"Imagine that," Dojo commented, "Jack Spicer tamed the Cat of Nine Tails."

"Wait just a darn minute," Clay interrupted, "So you're tellin' us that without Jack, that kitty woman would be killin' like a coyote in a cow pasture?"

"Yup."

* * *

"Why don't you watch some cartoons while I get us some dinner?" Jack flipped the channels until he found something appropriate, My Little Pony.

The colors and moving pictures on the box amazed her. Her eyes were glued to the screen. Jack chuckled to himself and laid the remote on top of the TV. As he left, Mew-Mew approached the TV and reached out to touch the talking ponies, only to be stopped by the screen. The bump knocked the remote down, right in front of the curious kitten. She looked at it with amazement. This small black object brought the magic box to life. She placed a hand on one button, changing the channel. The colorful world of Equestria vanished to show two dogs, a cocker spaniel and a gray mutt, sitting at a table. A man was singing in the background.

_"This is the night_

_It's a beautiful night_

_And we call it Bella Notte_

_Look at the skies_

_They have stars in their eyes_

_On this lovely Bella Notte_

_Side by side with your loved one_

_You'll find enchantment here_

_You know the night will weave it's magic spell_

_When the one you love is near_

_For, this is the night_

_And the heavens are right_

_On this lovely Bella Notte."_

The song enchanted Mew-Mew, especially one word that she heard repeated many times. "Love..." she whispered it to herself. She'd never heard the word before, but it sounded so beautiful. She watched as the two slurped at the same noodle and briefly touched before the female pulled away. The male then offered the last piece of meat to her. Was this a symbol of this magical thing called "love"?

Her thoughts were interrupted when a savory smell flowed to her face. She followed the scent to the staircase and up to the door. She wanted to see what was on the other side, but Jack had told her specifically not to open the door. Though slightly disappointed, she pawed her way back down the steps. Several Jackbots hovered by, scanning and confirming her identity. Jack was beyond that door, but she was forbidden to go there. She sighed and curled up at the foot of the stairs.

Wuya passed by, stopping to observe Mew-Mew. Was she asleep? No, her eyes were open. Her cat-like gaze shifted towards her. At the sight of the witch, her ears perked up and she raised her head. "What?" Wuya asked, grumpily.

"Wuya," she chirped, "Where Jack go?"

"To get food." the ghostly woman responded.

"Food behind door?"

"Yes."

Mew-Mew's ears bent, she was right. Her master was beyond the boundary she was told not to cross. As much as she wanted to be around him, she didn't want to disobey him. The smell was getting stronger. She leaped up as soon as she heard the door open. The red-haired boy stepped out carrying plates of food. "Jack!" she cheered, her tails waving with enthusiasm.

He tried to keep from dropping the meal as he made his way down the stairs. "Jackbots," he ordered, "Bring us a table."

Three of the floating robots appeared, one carrying a small table and tablecloth, the other two one chair each. Jack helped Mew-Mew into her chair and set the dishes down, revealing a generous helping of lasagna on each one. Mew-Mew's sensitive nose could smell each and every ingredient, savoring how well they blended together. She bent her head down and scooped up a mouthful that she chewed slowly, allowing the flavor to settle on her tongue. Jack, who had been using a fork to eat, stopped to see her eating the animal half of herself was. "Whoa, hold on," he said, "you're getting it all over your face."

She knew the word "face". She licked her lips, realizing she'd spilt some of the delicious food on her mouth. She saw a small patch of the meaty sauce on Jack's lower lip and, without thinking, licked the spot away. Jack blushed a bit, then looked around the room to see if Wuya had seen it. If she had, he was in for the teasing of a lifetime. "Jack?"

He looked across at the innocent pair of eyes before him. Their crystalline hue enchanting him. "Y-Yeah?" he stuttered.

"What... love?"

He paused to think. "It's when something or someone makes you feel really happy inside." he tried to explain.

The girl looked at him blankly, processing the thought. He wasn't ready when she leaned forward and hugged him. "Mew-Mew love Jack." she said ever so softly, then looked up at him, "Jack love Mew-Mew?"

Jack was shocked. His expression faded into a smile as he placed a gloved hand on her head. "Yes," he whispered, "Jack loves Mew-Mew, too."

Wuya had been watching through the wall in the next room. "Young love..." she sighed.


End file.
